Zurich, Switzerland, September 3, 2026: FIFA, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association and world football’s governing body, has reported record transfer spending of more than $9.89bn in men’s professional football during the 2026 mid-year window, with more than 12,500 international transfers completed worldwide.

The figures, contained in FIFA’s latest International Transfer Snapshot covering June 1 to September 2, underline the extraordinary scale of the post-World Cup market, with performances at football’s biggest tournament translating into major opportunities for players and clubs.

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FIFA said 267 players from 47 nationalities who featured at the 2026 World Cup changed clubs during the window.

Their moves generated more than $3.3bn in combined transfer fees, meaning World Cup players accounted for more than a third of the total spending in the men’s international market.

The latest figures represent another landmark for the global transfer system.

FIFA said the $9.89bn spent on international transfer fees was the highest amount ever recorded for a mid-year window, while the more than 12,500 transfers also established a new record.

The impact of the World Cup was particularly visible in the movement of established stars and emerging players who attracted renewed attention after competing in North America.

Among the notable moves was Spain midfielder Rodri’s switch from Manchester City to Barcelona, while France winger Bradley Barcola moved from Paris Saint-Germain to Liverpool. Reuters reported that several high-profile players secured significant moves following the tournament.

English clubs once again emerged as the biggest spenders, committing more than $3.02bn to international transfer fees. Italian clubs followed with $1.1bn, ahead of Spain with $940m, Germany with $904m and France with $641m.

The English dominance extends beyond spending. Clubs from England also recorded the highest number of incoming international transfers, followed by clubs from Spain and Portugal.

On the other side of the market, French clubs generated the highest transfer income, receiving $1.7bn in fees.

English clubs followed with $1.43bn, ahead of Germany at $1.02bn, Spain at $773m and Portugal at $642m.

The latest boom builds on an already expensive transfer market. FIFA reported that clubs spent almost $9.76bn during the corresponding mid-year window in 2025, itself a record at the time.

The 2026 figure therefore represents another step upwards in the financial scale of international player movement.

The women’s game also produced striking numbers. FIFA recorded 1,406 international transfers in women’s professional football, a 19.2 per cent increase on the previous record.

Spending reached an all-time high of $28.6m, more than double the amount recorded during the corresponding 2025 window.

English clubs led women’s spending with $8m, followed by Spain with $6.6m, Germany with $4.9m, the United States with $2.9m and Italy with $2.1m.

Swedish clubs were the biggest recipients of women’s transfer fees, taking in $4.2m, narrowly ahead of England at $4m. France and Germany each recorded $3.6m in transfer income.

The figures highlight how the modern transfer market increasingly responds to major tournaments.

The World Cup gave players an enormous global stage, and strong performances were quickly converted into new club opportunities and substantial financial transactions.

FIFA said the latest figures demonstrate the continued scale and global reach of the international transfer market, while also showing how performances at the World Cup can influence careers beyond the tournament itself.

For clubs, the record window reflects a willingness to invest heavily in talent. For players, it illustrates the value of performing on football’s biggest stage.